Qeustion about making a bottom board for my nuc boxes and dado cut a 3/4" entrance

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Qeustion about making a bottom board for my nuc boxes and dado cut a 3/4" entrance

Can I nail a board to the bottom of a nuc that's a little longer than the box and dado cut a 3/4" hole in the bottom of a nuc box? Do I even need the landing board? Is there a draw back to this idea. I plan on moving them into 10 frame equipment when their filled out enough.

Re: Qeustion about making a bottom board for my nuc boxes and dado cut a 3/4" entranc

Easy and effective. While the landing board is nice the bees will figure it out if it's absent. I'd leave it. And it's even easier to just drill a 1" hole in the front but if you have a separate dado tablesaw or router set up then go ahead.

Re: Qeustion about making a bottom board for my nuc boxes and dado cut a 3/4" entranc

I'm about to make a bunch of nucs, and for the bottom boards I'm going to use 19/32" plywood and attach it with good exterior screws right to the bottom of the nuc boxes, no glue just in case I ever need to pull the bottom board off for some reason. I will seal the edges of the plywood real good with something, don't know exactly what yet, before I paint the outside surfaces. I'll drill a 3/4" hole in the front of the nuc for an entrance. John

Re: Qeustion about making a bottom board for my nuc boxes and dado cut a 3/4" entranc

Re: Qeustion about making a bottom board for my nuc boxes and dado cut a 3/4" entranc

If you attach a plywood bottom directly to the box bottom when moving frames ya crush a lot of bees. Add a 3/8-inch spacer to the perimeter of the bottom board. Landing boards collect water and if not tilted a bit it runs into the hive.

Re: Qeustion about making a bottom board for my nuc boxes and dado cut a 3/4" entranc

Thank you all for your input. This is were I'm at now. Should I shim the bottom? If I had it to do all over I would have shimmed and used an removable entrance reducer. How long can I leave a nuc completely closed up while I'm moving it?

I really like the video. Looks like you can winter small nucs on bigger hives for warmth.

Re: Qeustion about making a bottom board for my nuc boxes and dado cut a 3/4" entranc

You can and I do.
I overwinter July splits in them.

If you are going to permanently attach the floorboard to the bottom box, I suggest simply making the bottom box 3/8-3/4" taller than normal...shorter if used only in summer, deeper if you are going to overwinter in them.